Double action non-polymer .380 pocket pistol - does this exist?

This is a discussion on Double action non-polymer .380 pocket pistol - does this exist? within the Defensive Carry Guns forums, part of the Defensive Carry Discussions category; Hello - first time poster. I apologize if this has been answered somewhere before; please direct me there if so.
I'm a 24 year-old female ...

Double action non-polymer .380 pocket pistol - does this exist?

Hello - first time poster. I apologize if this has been answered somewhere before; please direct me there if so.

I'm a 24 year-old female that is very new to firearms. I am looking to obtain my CCW. This whole journey has been exciting and overwhelming, especially starting from ZERO knowledge, so I apologize in advance for my ignorance.

So far I have taken a 2-hour (thorough) introductory course, and spent some time at the range last night looking for the perfect handgun for me and my needs. Despite what I thought I wanted (a revolver to start, specifically the S&W 642 Airweight or the Ruger LCR, .38 Specials - I hated shooting them both! Hurt my hand ), I have decided that I think a .380 pocket pistol meets my needs the most.

I shot both the Sig Sauer P238 and the Kahr P380 (the favorites of two different staff members) and fell in love with the Sig. The minimal recoil was big for me - it was very fun to shoot! And I don't want to purchase a defensive gun that I'm not going to want to practice with; that doesn't seem wise.

The one caveat is that I don't know how comfortable I feel with the single action mechanism. I don't like that in order to have it ready with the least amount of "steps" to shoot in a defensive situation, I may be sacrificing safety. I am fine with the long trigger pull involved with a double action pistol, but the Sig Sauer P238 gun is SAO.

The big reason I liked the Sig, I think, is because it's all steel. It appears that the handguns that are made of polymer don't absorb the recoil as well.

So my question - is there a .380 pocket pistol out there with a double action mechanism that is NOT made of polymer? I'm okay with carrying something a little heavier if it means I'll actually enjoy shooting it. But I don't think I want a single action pistol with a thumb safety.

I'm willing to go back and try the polymer double action models and see if I can settle for any of them (I am aware of the Kel-Tec P3AT and the Ruger LCP, but I have not shot either of those), but I'm wondering if this dream pistol of mine exists.

Also, if you can think of any handguns I should try based on what I've told you, please shoot them at me (har har, pun intended). The most important requirements for me are concealability (the smaller the better, but I don't think I want to go lower caliber than a .380) and minimal recoil. At this point I don't mind if it's a revolver or a semi-auto.

Can't answer the question in your title, but I've been told that the reason for the soft recoil on the P238 is the flat recoil spring. By using the flat spring, rather than a round one, there is room for more spring coils per inch to absorb the recoil. Be aware that these recoil springs should be changed every 1,500 rounds, but replacement springs are really cheap, as you can see here:Recoil Spring Kit - P238
I am alternating carrying a P238 (which is the most concealable yet shootable gun I've yet found), and also a S&W 640, which is an all-steel snubbie .357 revolver that I really enjoy shooting when loaded with .38 ammo (but it's not as easy to carry & conceal). I've been trying a variety of 9mm carry guns because I'd like to move up to a larger caliber, but haven't found one yet that measures up to my long list of expectations. My P238 will be kept as a backup gun. I like it too much to part with it!

I'd recommend shooting as many guns as possible before buying one. I thought I'd hate the P238 (loved it) and have tried many I thought I'd love - but hated. It all boils down to personal needs and preferences.

"...people who carry a gun understand that they are arming themselves against a very unlikely event... People who arm themselves are not confused about the odds. They are concerned about the stakes. -Kathy Jackson NRA Life Member

I know a few that carry the Bersa, and I have shot one a bit. No slide-bite like the similar looking Walther. We had a Browning BDA which is actually a Beretta (84 Cheetah). Neat little gun, but larger yet, and my wife couldn't easily rack the slide (though she had carpal tunnel).

Walther PPK

The Walther PPK fits your spec for a DA/SA all steel .380. It weighs about 21 ounces empty and has a heavy DA trigger followed by a good SA trigger. Mine has been accurate and reliable, but it is a little heavy for pocket carry. I have carried it on a belt holster, where it conceals easily because of small size and thin profile. It has a thumb safety/decocker, but you really don't need to use the thumb safety to carry the gun, as the DA trigger pull protects you from accidents.

The Walther PPK fits your spec for a DA/SA all steel .380. It weighs about 21 ounces empty and has a heavy DA trigger followed by a good SA trigger. Mine has been accurate and reliable, but it is a little heavy for pocket carry. I have carried it on a belt holster, where it conceals easily because of small size and thin profile. It has a thumb safety/decocker, but you really don't need to use the thumb safety to carry the gun, as the DA trigger pull protects you from accidents.

Thanks for the responses! The Thunder is on the list to try. The range I go to has the Walther PPK-S, but not the PPK (btw, that's one sexy gun. James Bond, ooh la la!). I know the difference is slight but I don't want to base my decision off of the wrong model. It also doesn't have the CZ 83.

Archer51 is right, the SA is what is putting me off of the Sig, which otherwise seems to be the perfect gun. I am just not comfortable enough at this point in my very minimal gun-slinging experience to concealed carry a single action pistol.

Hi Lara. Welcome to the forum and to CCW from a fellow St. Louis area resident. You'd like something smaller, but as you've found in the revolvers, that also means more recoil. As a new shooter, if you would consider something a little larger, I think you would find something like the S&W M&P Shield 9mm to be much more agreeable to shoot, and with a more powerful round than the .380 ACP. Some suggested the Bersa Thunder .380 or Walther PPK, which are nice guns, but actually bigger and heavier than a Shield. Good luck with your hunt.

Welcome to the forum! I'm a guy and some of the guns mentioned are a little large in my pocket carry experience. Women's pockets tend to be even smaller. My wife can't even fit an LCP in the pocket of a majority of her pants/jeans.

I owned a North American Guardian .380 when it was one of the only pocket guns around and hated it. It was almost 19oz. unloaded and it felt like a brick in my pocket. The other problem I had was that it never fed JHP reliably. It would only feed certain types of FMJ. When I was finally able to buy a Seecamp, I sold the NAA immediately and never regretted it. Just another thing to consider. Added weight is great when you are firing the gun, but it's a detriment when you have to carry it every day.

I've had quite a few .380's over the years, including some top-tier models (Beretta M84, Walther PPK/s, and a Sig P232). My favorite of them all is the P232, but it's considerably bigger than many of the other options - slightly bigger & heavier than the PPK/s, and actually bigger than several of the new subcompact 9's, although it's a dream to shoot. Ain't real cheap, either!

Have a look at a P232 and see what you think of it, size-wise. I have no personal experience with Bersas or CZ's, but if you find the P232 is too big, I think Archer is spot-on with his suggestions.